Maine GOP lawmakers craft Medicaid expansion bill

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — Two Maine Republican lawmakers are laying out details of their proposal to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act while implementing other significant changes to the program.

Under the proposal crafted by Assistant Senate Republican Leader Roger Katz and Sen. Thomas Saviello, the expansion would be paired with a plan to implement managed care in the Medicaid program to try to curb costs. The state would contract with several managed care organizations that would compete for business.

The bill faces many hurdles. This is the third time lawmakers will try to push through the bill to expand Medicaid coverage to roughly 70,000 Mainers. Republican Gov. Paul LePage vetoed two previous attempts and Democrats failed to get enough GOP support to override his veto.